The Right Thing
by Hotch Fan
Summary: Spoilers from 4x18 "Omnivore." After coming back from Boston, Dave and Hotch talk about what happened.


**This is my very first fanfic ****ever ****and English is not my first language ****so please be gentle. I'm a huge Hotch fan and I love the Hotch/Rossi friendship, and that's why I decided to write this fic. I'm not really sure if I could keep them in character so any comment or criticism will be greatly appreciated.**** I hope all have fun and please read and review.**

**Also I owe a huge thank you to_ Nebula2_ for the beta.  
I don't owe Criminal Minds or any of his characters.**

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**OoOoO**

**Title: ****The Right Thing**.

_**"Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes." Oscar Wilde.**_

When the team arrived at the BAU, Hotch and JJ went to their offices, while Morgan, Prentiss and Reid went to their desks in the bullpen. It wasn't a surprise that the entire team was affected by this case, but none more than Morgan and Hotch. Dave watched Morgan with his two co-workers, who were trying to cheer him up. As he went up the stairs to his office, he could see a small smile forming on Morgan's face. Yeah, Reid and Prentiss were definitely doing a good job.

Dave stopped at Hotch's office, and looked through the window and wasn't surprised to see that the other agent was already sitting at his desk working. Dave just shook his head and continued walking to his office. He go in, dropping his things and went to the kitchen area and brewed a couple of coffee cups. He and Hotch had some talking to do.

The door was closed, so he knocked and entered without waiting for an answer; Hotch was writing and didn't look up.

"I brought you some coffee." Dave said, putting one of the cups on Hotch's desk.

"Thanks." Hotch said, leaving the cup on his desk and continued writing.

Dave sighed, knowing Hotch was avoiding the conversation, but he wasn't going to let it go, so he just sat in one of the chair in front of Hotch's desk.

"Do you need something?" Hotch said his pen still in his hand.

"I think we need to talk" Dave replied.

"About what?" Hotch said playing dumb.

"I don't know, maybe the fact that Foyet, the man we all thought was a victim turned out to be The Reaper." Dave replied, raising his voice slightly.

Hotch lowered his eyes, not meeting Dave's gaze, and didn't say anything for a long time. Dave began to think he'd made a mistake in his approach, and when he was about to say something else, Hotch looked.

"What do you want me to say? I talked to him so many times. We went over his statement dozens of times together. I... I talked to him. I even comforted him, and I... I never saw... I never suspected that something was wrong, that he wasn't telling the truth." Hotch's uncharacteristic stutter a tell on the emotions he was feeling.

"Hotch, there was no way we could have know he was the unsub," Dave answered, and seeing the incredulous expression in Hotch's face he elaborated. "I mean, he posed himselft as a victim. How could anyone think that someone could put their lives at risk, inflicting such injuries on themselves, and killing his girlfriend? We can't just come in and treat the victims as if they're guilty."

Hotch watched Dave's eyes the whole time he spoke, but said nothing.

"Look, I know it's hard, but you have to let it go. I know you feel guilty, that you are feeling that you failed, but that's not true. You have to learn to let it go, because if you don't do it and you keep beating yourself up about what happened, it wouldn't matter that we caught him, that _you_ caught him. You're letting Foyet win. You're going to let him into your head and not the other way around. You and I know than that never ends well." Dave said, his voice firm.

"And you think I don't know that? But none of that matters right now. Sometimes knowing is not enough to make the guilt, to make these thoughts go away. Sometimes it's just not enough." Hotch replied evenly.

Both were silent for a few minutes until Dave said, "Believe me, I know how you feel. Damn, I've been there. But each time the fault is way too much. That you feel that no matter what you have done it's not enough, just remember that you caught him. That as difficult and as hard it was, you didn't take the deal. You didn't let him go as Shaunessy did. Remember that you gave to 25 families some kind of closure. That you caught the person who killed their loved ones. Just remember that you did the right thing."

Hotch looked at Dave's eyes and then nodded slightly. Both knew that with this talk everything wouldn't be fine, but at least it was a start. So they stayed there, in Hotch's office, drinking coffee and enjoying each other's company, until JJ appeared at the door.

_"Foyet escaped."_

_**"Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don't quit." Conrad Hilton.**_

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**A/N: Thanks to everyone who read it.**** I hope you all have enjoyed****, and as always feedback is appreciated. Thank you.**


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